The present invention relates to a pedal apparatus for vehicles and a vehicle equipped with the pedal apparatus and, more particularly, to a pedal apparatus suitable for use in vehicles equipped with a pedal reaction-force addition means capable of being used in an automatic running control apparatus for vehicles and a vehicle equipped with the pedal apparatus.
Some known recent vehicles are equipped with what is called an automatic running control apparatus, such as a cruise control apparatus for keeping the speed of a vehicle not by the pedal operation by a driver and an adaptive cruise control apparatus for keeping an appropriate distance between one""s vehicle and the vehicle in front. Because in such an automatic running control apparatus, the driver suspends the operation of the automatic running control apparatus by operating a pedal, there is a known pedal apparatus for vehicles which enables a brake pedal or an accelerator pedal to be used as a place where the driver can place his or her foot during the operation of the automatic running control apparatus.
For example as described in JP-A-9-123883, there is a known pedal apparatus for vehicles, in which even when the driver""s foot is kept placed on the pedal apparatus during the operation of an automatic running control apparatus, it is ensured by the control of the hydraulic pressure of a brake that a wheel brake does not work when a pedal force is below a prescribed value and that the wheel brake works when the pedal force is not less than the prescribed value. Furthermore, as described in JP-A-2000-54860, there is another known pedal apparatus for vehicles, in which during the operation of an automatic running control apparatus, it is ensured, through the use of a reaction-force adjustment means for adding a prescribed reaction force to an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal, that a condition in which the pedal is not depressed beyond a prescribed pedal-holding position during pedal depressing is kept when the driver""s foot is simply placed on the pedal.
However, in the pedal apparatuses for vehicles described in JP-A-9-123883 and JP-A-2000-54860, a reaction force added to the pedal during the operation of a vehicle is constant and, therefore, the reaction force is not always appropriate for the driver in various driving environments. In such cases, it is necessary for the driver to strongly depress the pedal by putting force in the leg in pedal operation or, conversely, to keep a standby condition in which the motion of the foot is stopped immediately before the depressing of the pedal because the foot cannot be sufficiently placed on the pedal, posing a first problem that the fatigue of the driver""s foot increases.
Furthermore, even when the driver can obtain a reaction force high enough to simply place his or her foot on the pedal, the driver cannot easily judge to what extent the pedal force can be held and it is necessary for the driver to pay attention to the possibility that the pedal may be depressed, posing a second problem that the driver""s fatigue increases also psychologically.
Therefore, the first object of the present invention is to provide a pedal apparatus for vehicles which can add an appropriate reaction force to a pedal and a vehicle equipped with the pedal apparatus.
The second object of the present invention is to provide a pedal apparatus for vehicles which does not put a burden on a driver and which is friendly to the driver and a vehicle equipped with the pedal apparatus.
(1) In the present invention, to achieve the first object, there is provided a pedal apparatus for vehicles which comprises: a pedal reaction-force addition means for adding a reaction force to a pedal of a vehicle; a pedal force detection means for detecting a force added to the pedal; and a pedal reaction-force control means for adjusting the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means. The pedal reaction-force control means adjusts the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means according to the output of the pedal force detection means.
With this arrangement, it enables an appropriate reaction force to be added to the pedal.
(2) In the above item (1), preferably, in a case where a prescribed time elapses with the output ratio of the pedal reaction-force addition means to the pedal force detection means kept out of a prescribed range, the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means is changed.
(3) In the above item (1), preferably, in a case where the output of the pedal force detection means increases and the amount of increase in the output becomes not less than a prescribed threshold value, the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means is changed.
(4) In the present invention, to achieve the second object, there is provided a pedal apparatus for vehicles which comprises: a pedal reaction-force addition means for adding a reaction force to a pedal of a vehicle; a pedal force detection means for detecting a force added to the pedal; and a status information notice means for giving a notice of the status of the force added to the pedal.
With this arrangement, the pedal apparatus for vehicles does not put a burden on a driver and is friendly to the driver.
(5) In the above item (4), preferably, the status information means gives a notice of the output ratio of the pedal reaction-force addition means to the pedal force detection means.
(6) In the item (4) above, preferably, in a case where the output of the pedal force detection means exceeds a prescribed threshold value, the status information means gives a notice of the fact that the output of the pedal force detection means exceeded a prescribed threshold value.
(7) In the present invention, to achieve the first object, there is provided a vehicle which is equipped with a pedal apparatus for vehicles which comprises: a pedal reaction-force addition means for adding a reaction force to a pedal of a vehicle; a pedal force detection means for detecting a force added to the pedal; and a pedal reaction-force control means for adjusting the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means. The pedal reaction-force control means adjusts the output of the pedal reaction-force addition means according to the output of the pedal force detection means.
With this arrangement, it enables an appropriate reaction force to be added to the pedal.
(8) In the present invention, to achieve the second object, there is provided a vehicle which is equipped with a pedal apparatus for vehicles which comprises: a pedal reaction-force addition means for adding a reaction force to a pedal of a vehicle; a pedal force detection means for detecting a force added to the pedal; and a status information means for giving a notice of the status of the force added to the pedal.